On 6 March 2024, the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT) considered one charge issued by Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Stewards against licensed trainer Raharna McDonald under Australian Harness Racing Rule (AHRR) 190(1).
AHRR 190(1) reads as follows:
A horse shall be presented for a race free of prohibited substances.
The charge related to a urine sample collected from the horse ‘Denzil Debro’ prior to Race 4, the ‘Vale Phil Frost Pace’, at the Mildura harness racing meeting on 21 March 2023. Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) reported the sample contained the prohibited substances 3-Hydroxylignocaine and Norlignocaine.
Ms McDonald pleaded guilty to the charge before submissions on penalty were made by Andrew Cusumano on behalf of the HRV Stewards and Ms McDonald.
Penalty
Ms McDonald was fined $4,500, with $1,500 of that fine suspended for a period of 24 months.
The VRT also ordered that ‘Denzil Debro’ be disqualified from Race 4 at Mildura on 21 March 2023 and that the placings be amended accordingly.
VRT Panel: Judge John Bowan and Mr Robert Abrahams
The written decisions of the VRT can be found here.
(Please note that VRT Decisions will generally be published within 7-10 days of the date of hearing)